1996 Pontiac Grand Prix: common problems

Owners of the 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix filed 79 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 79
involving a crash: 7

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 22% of all complaints
2 Engine and cooling 16% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
4 Steering 10% of all complaints
5 Structure 9% of all complaints
6 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
7 Vehicle speed control 6% of all complaints
8 Exterior lighting 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Service brakes: 17 complaints (22% of all).
Engine and cooling: 13 complaints (16% of all).
Electrical system: 9 complaints (11% of all).
Steering: 8 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Structure: 7 complaints (9% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

3.1 L · petrol · 6 cyl
3.4 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 79 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

rust, corrosion5 · 6%
steering or power steering problems5 · 6%
warning lights, check engine5 · 6%
smoke, burning smell, fire4 · 5%
stalls while driving4 · 5%
headlights and tail lights3 · 4%
knocking, grinding or other noise3 · 4%
seat belts3 · 4%
windows, sunroof3 · 4%
A/C or heater2 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	17	0
Engine and cooling	13	0
Electrical system	9	0
Steering	8	1
Structure	7	2
Powertrain	5	1
Vehicle speed control	5	1
Exterior lighting	4	0
Seat belts	4	2
Seats	4	1
Visibility	4	0
Air bags	3	1
Fuel system	3	0
Equipment	2	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Due to the seat back failure my seat belt did not restraint me. I am now a grand maul epileptic due to my head injuries. I also suffer from neck and shoulder pain.
Seat belts · crash · 2001-05-29 · NHTSA complaint #745868
I think this car was wrecked before we bought it and the dealer knew it, at the time of sale. We were not informed of it and have just noticed it. No safety defect.
Structure · crash · 2001-04-05 · NHTSA complaint #743155
Upon impact, airbags did not deploy, resulting in minor injuries. Vehicle was tatalled. Manufacturer will be notified.
Air bags · crash · 2001-02-26 · NHTSA complaint #881457
Consumer was traveling about 5mph on interstate and was turning into his apartment complex, and driver's side tire fell off. Two of the bolts were warped and broken off, and and/ rim were bent. There were no injuries. And dealership will be notified.
Wheels · crash · 2001-01-04 · NHTSA complaint #877451
While driving the vehicle suddenly accelerated forward, causing a collision.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1999-05-24 · NHTSA complaint #838344
While driving 25 mph, the power steering malfunctioned. It was extremely difficult to turn the steering wheel to the left. The contact had to exert force upon the steering wheel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 106,998.
Steering · 2016-10-27 · NHTSA complaint #10919301
The vehicle caught fire twice where drops of engine oil fell on the exhaust manifold. The fires occurred three days after purchasing the vehicle. The contact was responsible for the repair cost of $2000. The contact was not aware of recall# 09v116000, component: engine and engine cooling when the failure occurred.
Engine and cooling · 2009-09-01 · NHTSA complaint #10282511
On three separate occasions (twice while driving down the highway once on side street) my gas pedal pushed down under my foot and my car accelerated by it self. I had to have the mechanic disconnect the cruise control. Lucky no one was hit but it was close.
Vehicle speed control · 2005-09-08 · NHTSA complaint #10135778

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

199610
19979
19985
199919
20009
200110
20024
20035
20043
20052
20091
20141
20161

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 4,120 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand Prix has 187 complaints (29 years in the data). This year has 79, below average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, engine and cooling, electrical system. Total complaints: 79. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (6%), steering or power steering problems (6%), warning lights, check engine (6%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1996 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.